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Taverna la Cialoma

Dining in Marzamemi, Sicily.

L’ambiente—atmosphere. That word describes the magic of Taverna la Cialoma, an eatery in the picturesque fishing village of Marzamemi, Sicily. Tagliatelle con pesto di cozze, spaghetti con nero di seppia, linguine alla bottarga di tonno e pistacchio: fish is king here, and the setting—cerulean and white decor with the Ionian Sea mere steps away—is the castle. In the kitchen, the heartbeat of the locale, Lina Campisi and her compatriots cook with orchestral movement. After years of cooking for her five children, Campisi realized a dream and opened her restaurant doors at the age of 50. Dining at Taverna la Cialoma is a lesson in excellence in simplicity; it seems a cinematic scenario, but this is real—authentic antica cucina Siciliana.